Discussion Questions
1. Several factors that contributed to the extinction of trees on the island included the constant chopping of trees to build canoes, to transport statues, to build to plant gardens, and to burn them for fires. The large population of rats that chewed palm nuts, also contributed to the extinction of trees.
2. If I would have arrived on the island before the tree populations were extinct, I would have advised the Easter Islanders to slow down the production of canoes, statues, houses, and gardens. I would have also advised the Islanders to kill the rat population that was partially responsible for the destruction of trees. This would have guaranteed the regeneration of tree species because they would have had more time
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Current levels of plant and biodiversity on Easter Island in comparison with the past biodiversity levels, have significantly lowered. Today, Easter Island has a neutral climate, fertile soil, withered lands, and only forty-seven identified species. In contrast, historical Easter Island consisted of tropical forests with different species of trees and different species of animals.
5. Today’s levels of biodiversity on Easter Island can be explained in terms of complexity and disturbance because the Easter Island population unknowingly overexploited their island’s natural resources because they were isolated from other islands.
6. I believe that Diamond’s comparison of the civilization on Easter Island with the entire planet is justified because we are aware of the damage we are creating on Earth, while the population of Easter Island had no idea that they were overexploiting Earth’s natural resources.
7. The past civilization on Easter Islands, symbolize today’s human population on Earth because we are also destroying Earth’s recourses through overpopulation and overexploitation. Unlike the past population of Easter Island, we have no excuse and should take further precautions because we are fully aware of the destruction we are